The First Baptist Church of the Town of Summit,
whose edifice is one mile from Charlotteville village was
originally called the Baptist Church of Jefferson, but afterwards
the Baptist Church of Summit, and many years afterwards, say
about 1839, when the Second Baptist Church of the town organized
in the village of Summit, it was called the First Baptist Church
of Summit. It was organized Sept. 26, 1805 and consequently is
five years along in the second century of its existence. Do you
know the old institution is actually venerable! The Second
Baptist Church of Summit was discontinued in 1878.

In the first historical sketch of the First
Summit Baptist Church, printed in the Minutes of the Worcester
Baptist Association for 1879, it is stated that there are no
records in existence that give the time when it ceased to be
called Jefferson and took the name of Summit. But there is record
sufficient. The Minutes of the Rennselaerville Association for
1819 gives it the name of Jefferson, as they had for several
years previously, and as we are so informed by the Minutes in our
possession for 1812 and 1814 to 181- inclusive. But the author of
that historical sketch says that the town of Summit was formed
from the town of Jefferson and town of Cobleskill in 1819 and
that "probably therefore the old Jefferson Baptist Church
took the name of Summit Baptist Church immediately after the
organization of the township." Hardly that, for the town was
formed April 13 and the Association met Oct. 6 & 7 of the
same year (1819) and the church was still reported as the
Jefferson ------ Minutes of the Rennselaerville Association, held
Oct ---------- with the church in Dunnsburgh and Florida, it is
given as Summit and a foot note page 4 states that the Summit
Church was formerly the Jefferson Church. It had gone by the name
of Jefferson in all previous years and in 1820 by the name of
Summit and consequently 1820 was the year of its recognized
change of name to Summit.

Why the author says from 1805 to 1827 was that in
the latter year 39 members took from the Summit church to unite
with the newly constituted church in the town of Jefferson and
which new church took the name of the Jefferson Baptist Church
and concerning which we shall say more later on.

The name Summit suits the old church grandly. In
a History of Schoharie County we find the following by J. B.
Wharton: "In reaching a point on the road from Richmondville
to Summit village, the traveler may form an idea of the origin of
the name given to the town (of Summit) by looking down upon the
surrounding country that stretches a panorama of beauty and
grandeur before the eye scarcely equaled." And so before a
faithful God and good brethren reaching the point of good and
regular standing, and keeping at it, in our venerable church, and
looking steadfastly out down through the oncoming time, as so
many of the old church's supporters have done, and as at the
present time our dear old sister, Aunt Hepsy Robbins, in her 88th
year, is particularly doing, - we view by faith from "Mount
Pisgah's lofty height," as it were - from the Summit - from
our old Summit Church - a panorama of the eternal inheritance,
where -

There is a land of pure delight, where saints
immortal reign
Eternal day excludes the night, And pleasures banish pain. and
that shall eclipse all our expectations! O yes, Summit is a good
name.

With reference to the organization of the
Jefferson Baptist Church (now the First Summit) a Council was
called at the house of Elam Northrup in the town of Jefferson by
Baptist brethren of South Hill and Charlotte River to advise and
counsel them in matters of importance, Sept 26, 1800.

From Kortright came the following delegates:
Elder Warner Lake and brethren Elisha Sheldon and Samuel Grenell;
from Worcester (the present East Worcester Church) came Elder M.
French, and brethren Charles Round, Thomas Hudson and Joshua
Woodsworth (perhaps Wordsworth); from Bristol came Elder Levi
Streeter and brethren Edmund Richmond and John Hicks.

The First Baptist Church was so styled as early
as Nov. 19, 1831 when it was incorporated. It also had another
style of name. In the old church book, dating back to Sept. 26,
1805, with reference to the ordination service of James Ingals,
we see that name set forth. The record says: "At the request
of the Baptist Church of Christ in Summit, a council convened at
Henry Albert's in said Summit on the 5th day of July 1826."

We mentioned that delegates came from Kortright.
It would have been more proper to have said from the "Church
of Kortright" and so also of Worcester and Bristol. We have
received some information from rev. Eber Hix now 77 years old,
and living in the second house from the Jefferson Baptist Church
building, which is about two and a half miles east or northeast
of Jefferson village, and which was erected some 70 or more years
ago, by the Baptist church organized by the 39 members who took
letters of dismission from the Summit Baptist Church sometime
between the meeting of the Rennsellaerville Association in
October 1827 and the meeting in Oct. 1828 and which styled itself
the Jefferson Baptist Church. The building is now used monthly by
the Old School Baptist people. Rev. Eber Hix suggested that the
delegates from Bristol were from Bristol in the State of
Connecticut. The town of Jefferson was settled by people from the
Lebanon hills in Connecticut and from the Berkshire hills in
Massachusetts. At the present time that would seem a long way for
delegates to go by horse to help organize a church. As the crow
flies, from Bristol, Conn. to the town of Jefferson, was a
hundred miles at least. From Bristol to Boston Corners, near
where the corners of the State of Massachusetts and Connecticut
touch New York State, is about 37 miles and then by water of
Hudson in Columbia County and then through Green County and
Schoharie County to the town of Jefferson, is about 68 miles,
making over a hundred miles; but several more by the roads.

But when we consider how the different
Associations in those early times often sent messengers to each
others meetings, we fully believe that the delegates that came
from Bristol were from Connecticut.

In the meetings of the Rensselareville
Association, organized in 1798, which took in quite a large
territory, messengers were sometimes received from the following
Associations in Connecticut, namely, the Hartford, the
Stonington, the New London, the Danbury and even from one
Association the Shaftsbury, constituted in 1781, with its
constituent members located in the States of New York,
Massachusetts and Vermont. In the minutes of the Rensselareville
Association for 1814, we read that Elders Herrick, Lamb and
Braman be messengers to the Shaftsbury Association and that Elder
Peck bear the Letter and Minutes to the Stonington (Conn)
Association.

When the First Baptist Church of Summit was
organized there were then in the State of New York some half
dozen Associations and some 8,000 to 10,000 Baptists. Today in
this state we have over 40 Associations and 926 churches and
about 170,000 members.

A word about Elam Northrop and the site on which
the house stood in which the First Baptist Church was organized.
On July 26, 1637, Joseph Northrup from England landed in Boston,
Mass and afterwards in 1639 became one of the founders of
Milford, Connecticut. he was the great-great grandfather of Elam
Northrop who was born Sept. 1, 1770 at Sheffield, Mass. he was
twice married, first in 1790 to Miss Elizabeth Edmunds who died

May 2, 1804. Four children were born to them -
three sons, one of whom enlisted in the War of 1812 and who
probably never returned, and one daughter who married Ephraim
Calkins of Detroit, Michigan, who was elected a member of
Congress. Elam Northrop married for his second wife, Martha
Davenport Jan. 23, 1814 and three children - two sons and a
daughter - blessed the union. About the time of his second
marriage, he probably moved to Genesee County or possibly to
Dutchess County. We learn the above facts from Millington Edmund
Northrop of Albany. Elam Northrop being his great grandfather.

As to the house in which the church was
organized; On Main Street in what is now the village of
Charlotteville, there stands a part of the frame house built by
Edmund Northrop, third son of Elam Northrop and born July 31,
1798. he was a carpenter. At the present time the house is owned
by Cassius L. Kingsley, he having purchased it some two years ago
from Tallman Wavman now of Worcester. But other additions have
been built on to it, so that the old Edmund Northrop house is not
distinguishable. We have this information from Stephen Cornell of
Charlotteville, 82 years old this 1910 Christmas, and who in his
younger days worked for Edmund Northrop.

It is on the site of this house where very likely
stood the old house of Elam Northrop and in which the present
First Summit Baptist Church was organized; for Millington Edmund
Northrop, above referred to, says that he has been informed that
the house of Elam Northrop, his great grandfather stood on that
site, and that undoubtedly the meeting at which the church was
organized was held there. There was no village of Charlotteville
then, and it was within these limits of the town of Jefferson as
there was no town of Summit until 1819.

Mrs. Orline Stilwell, whose maiden name was
Vaughn, now in her 89th year (born April 16, 1822) - twice
married, first to Samuel D. Gallup, then to William Stilwell,
brother of the present Stephen Stilwell and son of Colonel
Stephen Stilwell of "Training Days" fame - says she can
remember the old log house that belonged to Elam Northrop.

And it is a pity that the present Baptist Church
edifice, built in 1832 and opened Wednesday, Nov. 21, 1832, had
not been erected on that historic site, for at the present time,
it would be an ideal spot for it. But when the present edifice
was placed where it is, it was placed there for the better
accommodation of the people in those early times, for to the east
of what is now the village of Charlotteville, another Baptist
church, by name of the Jefferson, had been mainly organized in
the fall of 1827 or sometime before Oct. 1828, from the 39
members that took letters from the Summit Baptist church, as
already mentioned, and which church a few years after the
erection of the Summit Baptist church edifice, erected a building
two and a half miles from what is now Jefferson village and five
miles away from what is Charlotteville. Also, in those early
times, there was no Baptist church at what is now Worcester
village, for the Baptist church there was not organized until
1842. Thus the Baptist church edifice standing where it now does
was for the better accommodation of the numerous large families
then living in the South Hill section which extends north
westerly and westerly from the Summit Baptist church to the
Schenevus creek, but which section from Centre Valley is now
accommodated by the Baptist church in the village of Worcester,
and which church since the village became a railroad village is
more attractive to the people who go that way to trade than is
our rural church. There is nothing to draw the people back to the
vicinity of our church edifice, especially any new family that
may move to occupy some one of the farms once occupied by large
Baptist families. Even the old tannery that once did business
within a stone's throw of the Baptist church edifice and to which
the farmers brought their hides and procured their leather, has
long years since ceased to do business and the old building is
fast rotting down. Also, there is but a fraction of the numbers
of the people on South Hill to what there used to be.

The present policy of the First Summit Baptist
Church of having its edifice remain in its present location is
undoubtedly suicidal.

On that eventful day, Sept. 26, 1805, at the
house of Elam Northrop, then in what was the town of Jefferson,
but which afterwards became part of the town of Summit, the
delegates being duly assembled, the work of organizing the church
was begun.

Just here we would repeat the names of the
delegates as given and spelled in the old church book: "From
the church of Kortright; Elder Warren Lake, Elisha Sheldon,
Samuel Grenell, the church of Worcester (new E. Worcester) Elder
Miah French, Thomas Hudson, Charles Rounds, Joshua Woodworth,
Church of Bristol (Conn) Elder Levi Streeter, Edmund Richmond,
John Hicks. All Baptist ministers were then called Elders and not
Dominies (the Dutch brought that in) nor Reverends. The word
"reverend" occurs once in the Bible, namely, Ps. 111;9
and applies to God. The word "elder" in the Minutes of
the Worcester Baptist Association continued in use until the '60s.
In Minutes of 1853, Rev. is used twice and "elder" many
times; in 1857 "Rev" is frequently used but in 1858
"Rev" is not used at all and "elder" only
twice "brother" being used. Different clerks may have
had something to do with the use of the words. Since the end of
the 60s "Rev" has been used although among the people
"elder" is still generally used, sometimes "dominie".
"Elder" is a word derived from Jewish usage, denotes a
spiritual ruler.

The meeting was opened with singing and prayer
and then Elder Warner Lake was chosen moderator and brother John
Hicks, clerk. Brother Rufus Ingal being present was invited to a
seat with the organizing brethren. They then considered the
desires of the brethren of South Hill and Charlotte River. South
Hill compromised that territory east of the valley in which
Worcester and East Worcester are situated and the Charlotte River
territory took in the district partly east and partly west of the
river. It was found that the brethren were anxious to be
constituted into a church. Their "state and standing"
being inquired into "a happy union" was found "substituting
among them". Their Articles of Faith and Covenant were then
considered and then the Council adjourned "for a short
space," and afterwards retired to deliberate on the request
of the South Hill and Charlotte River brethren. After mature
deliberation "the council unanimously judged it for the
honor and glory of God and the convenience of said brethren to
give them the hand of fellowship as a sister church, admitting
they answer to their Articles of Faith.

Here is a synopsis of their Articles of Faith:

That there is but one only living and
true God - a Spirit infinite, eternal and unchangeable in
his being, wisdom and power, holiness, justice, goodness
and truth.

That there are three persons in the
Godhead - Father, Son, Holy Ghost - who are but one God,
the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

That the Holy Scriptures (Old and New
Testaments) are God's revealed mind and will, given for
our only perfect rule of faith and practice.

That God is infinite in knowledge and
perfectly views all things from everlasting to
everlasting; that all things that he has revealed,
accomplished and brought to pass or ever will bring to
pass, are but the results of his own holy, wise and
determinate counsel from eternal ages.

That in the beginning God created heaven
and earth and upholds and governs all things by the word
of his power.

That God made man in his own image and
likeness and made with him a covenant of life, the
condition being perfect obedience.

That man being left to himself fell from
his original happy state and brought the state of death
upon all mankind

That man being thus dead, his help and
recovery is wholly in and from God.

That God the Father of his mere good
pleasure hath chosen a number of poor lost men and women
in Christ Jesus to eternal salvation

That Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of
God, who hath taken upon himself humanity and yielded a
perfect obedience to the law and brought about a complete
righteousness, is our glorious High Priest, who ever
liveth to intercede for us.

That the Holy Ghost only can and doth
make a particular application of the redemption by Jesus
Christ to every true repenting and returning soul.

That the Spirit of God - applying this
redemption, convincing us of our sinful and miserable
condition, and the discovery to us of a glorious Savior
as offered to us in the Gospel and enabling us to embrace
him with our whole hearts - is made unto us wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification and redemption.

That there will be a general resurrection
- both of the just and the unjust - that God will judge
the world in rightness by Jesus Christ and reward every
man according to his works - everlasting punishment for
the wicked - eternal life for the righteous.

That baptism and the Lords Supper are
ordinances of Christ to be continues until his second
coming; that the former is requisite before the latter;
that profession of faith preceded baptism which admits
into the fellowship and unto the privileges of the
church; the baptism is immersion in the name of the
Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

That the Sabbath under the Law
dispensation was a shadow of things to come and vanished
when Christ arose from the dead; and as he rose on the
first day of the week, and as the Apostles, who were led
by the Spirit of God, did afterwards, with the primitive
Christians, practice the meeting together on that day to
worship, therefore the Lord's Day is to be observed by
the Church of Christ; and it is our duty to abstain from
all worldly labor on that day, except the work of
necessity and to abstain from doing unnecessary errands
or business or vain visiting or hunting game or fishing
and to observe the Lords Day as a day of rest to worship
God.

That prayer is a command of God and is an
incumbent duty on all Christians and that heads of
families are enjoined to practice it as a duty to God and
as an example of piety.

That it is our duty to bear an equal
proportion, according to our several abilities, of the
expense of the church; to take care of the poor of the
church, that no brother or sister suffer but that we
administer to them of the comforts of life as a kind of
Providence shall enable us as doing it for Christ's sake;
that it is our duty to support the gospel.

THE COVENANT

We solemnly covenant each one of us in the
presence of God, angels and men, to give up ourselves in the
first place renewedly to God, without reserve; to endeavor
all that in us lies, to live in the daily performance of
every duty we owe to God and that we will take his Holy Word
for our guide in every duty.

We likewise covenant with each other by
Divine assistance to afford that assistance to each other in
our mutual travel together as we are directed by the Word of
God and that we will strive to promote the glory of God and
the mutual good and edification for each other in love and
that we will do our part as God shall enable us faithfully to
reprove each other in case of sin, in a spirit of meekness
and love and will bear burdens with each other and assist
each other in case of distress and we will do all that in us
lies to oppose all sin in ourselves and all others as far as
duty may appear; all evil whispering or backbiting against
any person or taking up a reproach against any person,
especially those that profess Christianity; that we will
endeavor to be careful of our neighbors good name and ------
time idly at taverns or

elsewhere ; likewise tale-bearing or any
other thing forbidden by the Word of God, so far as the Lord
may give us understanding of our duty and afford his
assistance therein; likewise we will not allow of any vain
recreation in our houses and endeavor to suppress all such
things in our families, by endeavoring to teach all under us
in our families all that in us lies, to know love and fear
God; that we will as much as in us lies not forsake the
assembling of ourselves together on the Lords Day which we
believe to be the first day of the week and likewise not
absent ourselves from convenient conferences appointed by the
body and that we will strive when reproved to receive it in
brotherly love and confess our faults one to the other and
pray one for another endeavoring to keep the unity of the
Spirit in the bonds of peace, promising to hold communion
together in the ordinances and discipline of the church
according as we are or shall be guided by the Word of God,
expecting that he will further and more gloriously open his
Word and the mystery of his kingdom, flying to the blood of
the Everlasting Covenant for the pardon of our many errors,
praying that the Lord would prepare and strengthen us for
every good work to do his will working in us that which is
well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ Our Lord, to
whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

The first Covenant meeting of the church after
its organization was held Sat. Oct. 26, 1805 at the house of
brother James Brown. His house was undoubtedly to the east of
Charlotte River for quite often the record gives the meeting
place at his house one month and the next month at the house of
Joseph Lincoln who, lived in the South Hill section or to the
west of Charlotte River. The meeting was opened by singing and
prayer. Having no pastor, a moderator was chosen from among the brethren and the honor fell upon John nelson. Afterwards if a
visiting Elder happened to be present to preach on the morrow the
honor was generally given to him. But even after Elder Clark Carr
had become their settled pastor, the moderator was still chosen
but it was the pastor, if present. Also a clerk for the day was
also demanded in those early days, as it was considered necessary
that the records of the meeting be faithfully kept. So Elam
Northrop was chosen clerk and was also chosen as such in
succeeding meetings, until on Jan 25, 1805, he was chosen regular
clerk for the church and was expected to act as clerk at the
meetings. Whenever the regular clerk was not present, a clerk for
the day was appointed and the first time that happened was on
March 22, 1805 when Jonathan Owens was appointed clerk for the
day.

Jesse Carpenter was appointed to prepare the
elements for the sacrament and thus is noted the first Lord's
Supper of the church in which the few struggling brethren strove
to carry out our Lord's injunction "This do in remembrance
of me"

At that meeting, Francis VanHusan was received by
letter and was the first one so received. At the next covenant
meeting, Nov. 23, held at the same house, brother Jesse Carpenter
being chosen moderator, after the church has proceeded to give in
their minds and having found an agreeable union subsisting,
Samuel Brown related his Christian experience and was received.
He was baptized the next Sunday. The record does not state who
was the administrator, but very probably some one of the Elders
who visited the different churches and whom they expected in time
for the Sunday services.

On Saturday, Dec. 21, 1805, the church meeting
was held at the house of Joseph Lincoln of the South Hill section.
His wife's name was Rebekah. We know very little about him only
that he was one of the constituent members of the church. But
very likely he was the father of Levi Lincoln ordained a deacon
Feb. 9, 1814, and also the father of Joseph Lincoln, born Feb. 17,
17__ and also the great grandfather of the present Miss Zilpha
Lincoln, Mrs. Fannie

On Jan. 25, 1806 the church met in Covenant
meeting at the house of Elam Northrop, when Waitsill Cleaveland,
James Brown and Joseph Lincoln were chosen as trustees for the
ensuing year. Waitsill Cleaveland had not yet been received by
letter into the church. His reception by letter occurred March 22
following and then he was received as a particular member, that
is as a Calvinist Baptist. The name "particular"
originated in England in the 17th century, in the fact that the
Calvinist Baptist held to a particular atonement and the Armenian
Baptist to a general atonement.

At the Feb. meeting, John Nelson requested a
letter of recommendation and dismission and his was the first
such letter. At the March meeting four were received by letter,
Waitsill Cleaveland, Nancy Braman, Jenny Ripley and Martha Lent.

The old church book in the beginning of the
recorded doings of the church meetings in the handwriting of Elam
Northrop, written with a quill pen as shown in the formation and
flourish of the letters - the long "s's" and the crawl
under "c's" and the somersault backward "d's"
- makes very emphatic the tone of the meetings. Thus it is
recorded that after a meeting had been organized by the choice of
a moderator and whatever business was before the church had been
disposed of, that they "proceeded to take the minds of the
church and found a union; sometimes a comfortable union,
sometimes a tolerable union. It seems that the business part of a
meeting was generally settled before they "attended to their
Covenant meeting".

On the 21st of June Joseph Lincoln was chosen to
"serve the table the following day" and on Nov. 22d
following, he was appointed to "wait on the church at the
sacrament the next day." he acted as deacon but there is no
evidence in the church records that he had been set apart as a
deacon.

About this time, the brethren seemed to be
anxious to have a more regular preaching service on the Lord's
Day and voted July 26, 1806 to send brethren to the Baptist
Church of Christ in Worcester, (now the E. Worechester church)
with a request for them, if they see fit, to send Brother
Woodworth to preach with us.

According to appointment, the church met Sept. 17, 1806 at the
house of Joseph Lincoln, somewhere in the South Hill section. We
have not yet found out the exact location, but if his son, Joseph
came into possession of his father's house, then he lived in a
house that used to stand in the corner lot before you get to
Deacon Isaac B. Gage's house and as you go downhill to go to
Egbert Baker's, which used to be the home of Deacon James S.
Martin, the father of the present Schuyler Martin of Davenport
and his sister Mrs. Betsy C. Ryder of Charlotteville and
grandfather of her son Charles M. Living at present below the
village near where the road begins that goes over the hill to
the Center Valley, or as sometimes called by the older people the
Hornknocker. Elder Miah French, ready to preach on the morrow,
was at the church meeting, which was opened by singing and prayer
(the usual custom), after which Elder French was requested by the
church to set as moderator. Then brethren Joseph Lincoln and
Jesse Braman were appointed to represent the church at the
Association which met the following month at Windham, in Greene
County, something like 30 miles in an air line from the present
edifice of the First Summit Baptist Church and probably 40 on the
roads that at the time were only "apologies for roads"
when compared with our roads today. "They were like our log
roads" recently said old Isaac Rifenburg, grandfather of our
young brother Melvin Rifenberg. What begging to be excused would
be made now-a-days by some brethern if they had to attend
Association meetings as far as that! But the faithful brethren went, as we see by the minutes of the Rensselaerville Association
of 1906, when the church joined the Association and reported 24
members, most of them being constituent members. We now give the
names of the constituent members, so far as we have been able to
verify them

At the church meeting Oct. 26, 1806, brother Jesse Braman Jr.
manifested to the church that he was cramped in his mind for want
of approbation of the church respecting his improvement and was
invited to improve his gift statedly if the church and elsewhere,
as occasion called for further satisfaction. He was the first one
desiring a license to preach. The church records of Nov. state
that he was granted a letter of recommendation, as he had a
journey proposed with the church's approbation for him to improve
his gift.

At the Covenant meeting June 27, 1807 the church was called on to
know what they had gained in their minds respecting brother
Braman's gift and it was agreed that they viewed it rather
gaining and that they wished still to encourage it.

At the Covenant meeting Jan. 23, 1808, held at brother James
Brown's, on the east side of the Charlotte River, there was some
conversation with reference to Jesse Braman's affairs and a
special meeting was appointed at brother Levi Lincoln's, on the
west side of the Charlotte River, Jan. 25, to attend to the
business. At the special meeting, brother Thomas Stilwell,
moderator the church proceeded to consult on matters respecting
brother Braman's gift and circumstance; took the mind of the
church on one or two particulars but business crowding the
records were not read and when presented at their next church
meeting, Feb. 27, they found they had acted only in some things
and recalled what they had done. Elder Carr being at the meeting
was asked to take an active part. The brethren called on to know
what they had gained in their minds respecting his (Braman's)
gift, found the church somewhat divided on the matter. In the
minds of a few his gift was rather gaining, but the major part
of the church had gained nothing in their minds for the year past.
But at the March meeting, it was voted that brother Jesse Braman
Jr have the approbation of the church to improve his gifts as
heretofore he has done wherever God in his providence may open
the door. So they left him in God's hands! And that is the last
mention in the old records of Jesse Braman Jr.

The church early realized that the laborer is worthy of his hire
and that even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach
the gospel should live of the gospel and so two days after
Christmas 1806, it was voted to endeavor to move on the ground of
equality to defray the necessary charges of the church and
support the gospel - that is according to our several abilities.
The brethren seemed verbose in their language at times. It was
voted to raise $21 for the present year which was finally done by
subscription. Brother Cleaveland, brother James Brown and brother
Carpenter were appointed trustees to collect the money and pay
the elders that visit us.

The meetings of the church during the year had been mainly held
at the houses of James Brown on the east of the Charlotte River
and of Joseph Lincoln on the west side of the same river - on
South Hill.

In the early churches a good deal of business was transacted
along the line of receiving or disciplining members, before they
began their Covenant meetings. Sometimes they would adjourn for
refreshments before beginning the Covenant meeting. That was the
case April 25, 1807. And once the church

adjourned its church meeting until eight o'clock the next
morning, which was Sunday of course and then held its Covenant
meeting. That was the case Sat. June 27, 1807 when the church
meeting was held at Joseph Lincoln's and which meeting was
crowded with business. Think of some of the brethren away over
the hills in the town of Jefferson going from 5 to 7 miles to
Joseph Lincolns on South Hill and getting there at 8 o'clock, and
then stopping for an afternoon service too. They carried their
dinner tables in their pockets.

But that 27th day of June was a very crowded day. It was when
Levi Lincoln (ordained a deacon Feb.. 9, 1814) and his wife Betsy
and Henry Albert and his wife Margaret and Eli Brews (Bruce) Jr
and his wife Betsy, all members of Elder Tallman's church offered
themselves to the church and were received into the fellowship of
the church. On the following day, (Sunday) at eight o'clock the
church met in Covenant meeting and there was found a happy union
in the body. Then Eli Brews (Bruce) Sr and his wife Lovica,
members of the same Tallman church, were received. Immediately
afterwards, Phebe Ward presented herself as a candidate for
baptism and followed her Lord in the ordinance after the meeting.
As the meeting was held in the South Hill section that day, it is
probable that some appropriate part of Proper Creek was the
honored stream.

On Feb. 21, 1807, Jesse Carpenter was chosen church clerk for the
ensuing year to succeed Elam Northrop. He also held the office
each year afterward until Aug. 14, 1813, when he requested to be
released from keeping the church book and Henry Albert was
appointed church clerk in his room. Jesse Carpenter lived on the
east side of the Charlotte River for in the church records of May
28, 1808, we read that our next meeting be at Levi Lincoln's four
weeks from this day and then in five weeks in this (the East)
branch of the church and so to continue through the present year.
Henry Albert, called old Henry, lived on the west side of the
Hornknocker Creek, in a house that stood on what is known as the
old Payne Smith farm (Old Payne Smith was uncle to the present
Payne Smith). The house of the old Henry Albert stood across the
road nearly opposite the present Center Valley Schoolhouse.

The church was now more than a year old and no case of discipline
had thus far taken up by the church but on Jan. 17, 1807, it was
voted that any offense committed openly before the world by any
of the members of the church, unless the person offending shall
immediately on the spot confess his fault, such offense shall be
openly acknowledged in public meeting before the congregation and
society. But before the church was two years old it had to hear complaints from brethren
against brethren. Things were told to the
church in those early days and some matters that would now be
settled in a Justice's Court were then settled at the church
meeting; that is, so far as the church brethren were concerned. Brethren were cited to appear before the church.

One of the first complaints was on account of some matters of
deal between two brethren and the church digested the matter to
the satisfaction of all concerned. At another church meeting, brethren were appointed to take further private labor with an
offending brother. On another occasion, the church attended to
the labor with a brother and could not gain satisfaction they
wished for and found their minds not ripe for action and
suspended the matter till the next church meeting. Another time
the church sent a committee to visit a brother and found him very
much disguised by liquor. if the brethren became delinquent and
neglected the monthly meetings or the Sabbath exercises a few
times, word was soon sent to them to know why they were not traveling with the church. if a good reason was forthcoming, it
was well. If not, the church began disciplinary measures.

The church of those early days also kept an eye on those of their
number who moved to other places. As notice: A request came from
the church at Middleburg in 1807 requesting the church to call on
a brother of their church who resides among you, and examine into
his situation - why he should not be deemed a clean member and if
he is, why he does not join with you and inform us of his
situation. In four months afterward the brother was a member of
our

On August 22, 1807 Elder Orlando Mack was present at the
church meeting and the next day after the forenoon service,
baptized Aaron Butts and Amy his wife, who had suffered
themselves to the church and gained fellowship.

At the Jan. church meeting (1808) Elder Clark Carr was asked
to take an active part with the church. At the March meeting the
church agreed to use its influence to obtain Elder Carr's gift
within the bonds of the church two-thirds of the time for the
ensuing year and they were successful in securing him. he
remained with the church until sometime in 1810.

At the church meeting in Nov. 1809, the so-called old Henry
Albert, Levi Lincoln, James Brown and Wiatsill Cleveland were
appointed to collect what was subscribed for Elder Carr for the
past year. In May 1810 at the house of Levi Lincoln, brethren Levi Lincoln and Eli Brews (Bruce) were chosen to use their
influence to collect the rearages of Elder Carr's subscriptions
in that (west) branch of the church and society and on June 30
the meeting being held at Wiatsill Cleveland's, brethern
Cleveland, Lavally and Wm. Simson were chosen to collect rearages
of Elder Carr's subscriptions in this (east) branch of the church
and society. Jesse Carpenter being clerk the "that" and
"this" indicates in which part he lived.

The church used the term "exercise" for church
service and they had forenoon and afternoon exercises on the
Sabbath as the statements in the following extracts from the old
records indicate:

"May 29th, Sabbath Day (1808) at the close of the
afternoon exercises Adam St. John related the work of God upon
his soul. The church gave him fellowship and he was baptized
three weeks afterward.

July 10th, Sabbath Day (1808) after the forenoon service, Asa
Simson and William Simson related the work of God on their souls,
gained the fellowship of the church and were baptized after the
meeting at night.

Up to Dec. 16, 1809 the various church exercises had been held
in the houses of a few brethren on the west side of the Charlotte
River, namely Elam Northrop's until Jan. 25, 1806 and Joseph
Lincoln's (Sr) until June 27 1807 and afterwards at Levi
Lincoln's (son of Joseph Sr) from Sept 26, 1807 no later than
1809, even until he moved away to Rensselaerville in 1823. And on
the east side at the house of James Brown and Jesse Carpenter.
The meetings were mainly divided up among the above named few but
once in awhile a meeting was held elsewhere.

The following were the delegates to the different
Associational meetings from 1806-09: Joseph Lincoln Sr, Jesse Braman, Levi Lincoln, Elder Carr and
Aaron Butts.

In 1809 the church reported 53 members.

Correction: We spoke of old Payne Smith as uncle to the
present Payne Smith. we ought to have said grandfather. Old Payne
Smith's son Melvin was young Payne Smith's father. He was also
grandfather of Mrs. F. M. Whiteman of Lutheranville, Floyd Wright
and Mrs. Jesse Tyler of Westford, LeRoy Wright of Richmondville
and Mrs. Ira W. Snyder of Decatur. Their mother was Mrs. John
Daniel Wright of Westford and she was one of the five daughters
of old Payne Smith, who also was the progenitor of four sons,
Melvin, now of Worcester being one of them.

On Feb. 18, 1810 at the church meeting held at the house of
Waitsill Cleaveland, Deacon Chase Hix was received by letter into
the church. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War. He lived
and died in the house of his son Eber M. Hix, who was born Jan.
23, 1798, baptized March 11, 1811 and died Dec. 11, 1877. The
house has long since gone and stood a few rods from the present
old Hix homestead, which is the second house south of the old
edifice (built about 65 or 70 years ago) of the Jefferson Baptist
Church, mainly organized by the members who took letters of
dismission from the Summit Baptist Church sometime between Oct.
1827 and Oct. 1828, and which took the original name of the
church, namely, Jefferson, for that had been the name of the
First Summit Baptist Church prior to 1820.

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